Electronic RnB Duo Vindata Announce Their Debut Album, "...With Opened Eyes" Out June 2021 on Monstercat
LA-based electronic R&B duo @Vindata make their highly-anticipated return with the announcement of their debut album, ...”With Opened Eyes”, arriving June 2021 on @Monstercat. Giving fans a taste of the forthcoming project, they’ve unveiled the first two singles, “Good 4 Me,” and “Union”.
LA-based electronic R&B duo Vindata make their highly-anticipated return with the announcement of their debut album, ...”With Opened Eyes”, arriving June 2021 on Monstercat. Giving fans a taste of the forthcoming project, they’ve unveiled the first two singles, “Good 4 Me,” and “Union,” both launching into the high-octane video game Rocket League this month. The two-track offering is a testament to Vindata’s distinct sonic palette, marrying raw hip-hop beats with soulful electronic grooves rooted in their gospel upbringing.
Akin to the duo’s effortless genre-fluidity, they share this piece of wisdom with fans from the great Bruce Lee: “Be shapeless, formless, like water."
At the peak of dance music’s dominance in LA, Vindata broke onto the scene and instantly gained recognition from some of the most influential tastemakers. With a co-sign from renowned producer Skrillex, they quickly became cult favorites and have since worked with prolific artists like Anderson .Paak, Mija, Ellie Goulding, A-Trak, Jack Ü, Sweater Beats, and more.
Spending the last two years on hiatus to reflect, recharge and hone their craft, Vindata are back and better than ever. This next chapter will see the duo dig into the pivotal moments and memories that shaped who they are today, with the album culminating in a career milestone that reminds us why we never stopped listening to their music.
Listen to “Good 4 Me” and “Union” now, stream them on your preferred music service and connect with Vindata on their social media.
Interview: Greek Band The Velvoids Discuss Their New Visual For "Rake Your Mind"
We connected with Athens, Greece based duo The Velvoids for an exclusive interview to discuss their new music video for “Rake Your Mind”, off their album “MOTHER”, and much more.
“‘Rake Your Mind’ is drums, guitar, and the vocal track done live, lights down and all that. Production wise, we usually move into our friend’s recording studio for an undesignated number of days and pretty much live there for a while...”
Congratulations on the release of your new video "Rake Your Mind", which appears on the "MOTHER" album. Of all the album's songs, why did you decide to create a visual for it and how did you connect with its director, Elly Economides?
Thanks! We almost did ‘Rake’ last year when we were looking to shoot a video for the new album but ended up going for something heavier; we always liked that track, though, so we knew we’d come back to it.
We threw the initial idea to Elly because we like her and her work as a photographer; she’s also familiar with our band so it just came down to finding a general theme and that was it, we wanted her to feel free and approach it any way she saw fit and that’s what she did. She seemed keen on wanting to know the conceptual meaning and lyrics of the song; you can kind of see how she incorporated all that into the visual which is always very cool. Melina who performs in it is great too, she owns the dance space it was filmed in, called Horos.1.
We're huge fans of the "Rake Your Mind" song; tell us about your creative process for its development, in terms of production and songwriting.
For us, it usually starts with an idea on the guitar or piano and maybe a gibberish vocal melody, then that’s usually how we’ll bring it into the studio. We always finalize the songs as we’re recording them, it’s just genuinely more interesting to us to zone out and be spontaneous like that then to rehearse material and go in prepared. We track the drums and main guitar live and build from there, if we have lyrics ready we’ll do some vocals live too.
‘Rake Your Mind’ is drums, guitar, and the vocal track done live, lights down and all that. Production wise, we usually move into our friend’s recording studio for an undesignated number of days and pretty much live there for a while, we’ve been doing it this way for the past 10 years, Dorah was pregnant with our daughter during those sessions which was also pretty inspiring.
For the drums we’ll set up using the Glyn Johns technique; on this song, Dorah muffed her snare and toms with towels and just substituted the hi-hat for a tambourine ring. We set up the guitar nearby because we want to be in the same room when we track, and Vice is playing a Jaguar through a Vox AC15. Lastly, we use a few room mics for ambiance. Once that’s done, we’ll go back and do the overdubs.
How did you two initially meet and decide to form "The Velvoids"? Also, where did the name originate?
We didn’t actually form The Velvoids together; Vice formed the band in early 2003 with another friend, Max. We met during the band’s hiatus around 2006 and just stuck together since.
The name doesn’t really mean anything, it just sounded good at the time.
Describe the scene for experimental music in Athens; is there a vibrant club scene where artists can perform live (pre-COVID)?
Athens always had a pretty healthy scene, a concoction of lot of different things happening at once, it’s like anywhere. Maybe everything kind of branched out after the internet boom of the late 2000’s and in the long run, may not be quite as magical anymore, but it’s definitely vibrant.
There are always a handful of good things that’ll stand out among the chaos wherever you go, whether they’re above radar or below, and a strong art scene that’s centered on architecture, crafts, and visual design. For now, everyone’s just sort of waiting around for this whole thing to blow over and go back to normal, until then it’s as good a time as any to experiment.
With the "Rake Your Mind" music video now released, what are some of your goals musically for this spring/summer?
We initially wanted to repress the LP because we always do short runs and there aren’t too many copies left but, times being what they are, we decided we preferred to move on and just do something new.
We recorded a new album at home last summer on our 24-track Tascam, and did the whole thing with an SM57 and an AT2020, eventually turning up a batch of new songs. We’re planning on finishing them in the studio and have it out later in the year maybe. Generally though, we’d just like to keep going.
Interview: Roseblud Talks About the Song "Fluorescent", From His Debut Album "Mood Ring"
We connected with South Florida artist @Rosebludx for an exclusive Q&A to discuss his song “Fluorescent”, which is featured on his debut album “Mood Ring”, and much more.
““Mood Ring” is about the journey of me finding that self-love and strength to leave someone I loved but was hurting me.”
Salute to you on the release of your song "Fluorescent", which is featured on your debut album "Mood Ring". What inspired you to create the song and how did you connect with its producer Elujay?
Well when I first met the girl who inspired this album, I had just discovered Elujay’s music and really vibed with it. So I introduced it to her as well the day we met and one of his songs just kind of became “our” song.
I always kind of joked that I’d make a song with him for her one day, and so a year later when I was making my album telling our story, I figured I’d take a chance hitting him up on Instagram, sharing my story and making that song with him. Things fell into place and he got to become a part of the story he helped create. It was an awesome feeling.
If you could select any artist to be on a remix to "Fluorescent", who would it be, and why?
If I could somehow get Smino on the remix that would be my #1 pick. No one else is really doing it like Smino, and he’s just so versatile; he’s energetic when he needs to be, smooth as fuck and just such a dope artist overall. I know the vibe he would bring to the song would be fire.
Tell us about the overall theme of the "Mood Ring" album and how you came up with its concept.
“Mood Ring” is a direct narrative of my time with my toxic ex. She had a girlfriend when we got involved and there were just so many red flags I should’ve acknowledged and left earlier, but I didn’t have the self-love to do that.
“Mood Ring” is about the journey of me finding that self-love and strength to leave someone I loved but was hurting me.
When you are working on new music, what are some things/people/places that inspire your creativity? Also, what do you look for in the production that you choose to write to?
I like to take inspiration from things that have happened in my life. I think the best music is authentic music, and you can’t really connect with people writing about things you’ve never experienced or have any true connection to. So I like write about feelings, cause we all have them, and we’ve all experienced desire, pain, and loneliness, so I want people to be able to hear themselves in the music as well.
For production I don’t feel like I’m too constrained to conventional genre boundaries and I just look for sounds that can better evoke the feeling I’m looking for in whatever song I’m making.
“Mood Ring” was very cinematic, so in making the tracks I worked very closely with my producers to add a lot of sounds like the cello, and upright double bass to add suspense in certain areas and really evoke dramatic feelings. I never chose beats, every song on that album was one I sat down and collaborated with my executive producer John to create.
How/when did you get started writing music? And what do you remember about your first song?
I got into writing poetry when I was 14, but didn’t get into music until I was 15 and my uncle and young cousin died the day after Christmas.
As a child, these were the first real close deaths I’d ever experienced and I turned to music as a way to both cope and honor them. The rose in Roseblud is an acronym for Rise Over Society’s Expectations, and I try to use it as a reminder to be better and do better than what this country expects of a young black man.
With the "Mood Ring" album now released, what are some of your goals musically for this year?
At first I thought I wanted to take a break and just do whatever I wanted aimlessly, releasing “Mood Ring” also felt like releasing the burden of that old relationship, but I’ve realized I do still want to focus my energy on some specific musical projects I’m gonna release later this year.
On the first one I’m leaning more on the side of r&b and neo-soul, but I’m also definitely feeling like I want to release a straight up rap album later this year, and produce most of it myself.
Review: "Winterlude" EP by Weapon
Check out our in-depth review of “Winterlude”, the brand new EP by Boston based rap duo Weapon.
Boston based rap duo Weapon (Fantasy & DFizz45) proves to have an incredible range on the powerful and soulful flows of their new EP “Winterlude”. The songs run the gamut from stripped-down bare bones minimalism to careening groove full of such confidence. Their vocals have a great strength to them with lyrics that opt for the poetic and there is a realism to each verse, giving the whole of the audio trip a majestic sense of grandeur. The production here has a flawless quality to them for each track has a polished perfection to it with grooves that hit hard. Emotionally Weapon runs the range from pure swagger to confessional odes.
References abound throughout the whole of the collection. The dreamy jazz-like hit of the grooves reflect upon the similar vulnerability of Tyler, The Creator’s most recent works. With the flipside, there is a sense of the thoughtfulness of Kendrick Lamar in terms of how confessional the verses become, as they are offered completely unvarnished.
Production at times draws a bit from Mac Demarco’s woozy, warped rhythms. On the yearning side of things, the tracks where everything is washed in a fine yellowed yearning nostalgic glow, Weapon brings out elements of Boards of Canada’s experiments with hip-hop.
“Fire” introduces the collection and lives up to its name. Featuring some outright splendid hard-hitting basslines, the track spirals out wildly in a way that feels quite magnificent. A completely different tact emerges on the spaciousness of “Slow Down” where Weapon explores a nighttime noir atmosphere. Elegance radiates throughout the entirety of “2Hr Drive” which features some impeccable grooves that have a soulful, jazzy cadence.
Pure intensity rushes through on the energetic flows of “Who to Blame”. Such clear-eyed focus emerges throughout the piece as the delivery has a wild, freewheeling presence to it. Easily the highlight of the EP comes from the powerful closer of “No Love”. Warped guitar work comes alongside delicate keyboard melodies, as Weapon’s deliveries have a starkness to it, with the words hitting with a profound quality.
Lives lived to the absolute fullest and explored in vivid detail, Weapon’s Fantasy and DFizz45 go straight for the heart on the tenderness of the “Winterlude” EP.
Stream and Share “Winterlude”
Interview: Detroit YB Discusses the Visual For "I Get Around", Off His "Beauty In The Struggle" Album
We connected with Atlanta based rap artist @DetroitYB for an exclusive interview to discuss his newly released music video “I Get Around”, which appears on his debut album “Beauty In The Struggle”, and much more.
“I don’t rap unless I’m motivated or at least went out and lived life so I have something authentic to talk about. ”
Salute to you on the release of your new music video for "I Get Around"; of the Beauty In The Struggle's 16 songs, why did you choose this one to create a video for?
I appreciate that. “I Get Around” is one of my favorites, not only that, but it's also one of them joints that you need to focus mainly on the lyrics or you might get carried away with the message. Listen as I narrate my past life in the streets but showing you how to use the streets to your advantage and making something better for yourself.
It also describes how I can't just sit down, my hustle requires me to "Get Around", so I felt that this track needed visuals to stand out a bit more.
With "Beauty In The Struggle" being your debut album, what are you most proud of with this project?
The one thing that makes me proud about this project is that I stepped a little outside my comfort zone and expressed my true feelings on every song to be more relatable to every single person listening to it. It brought me success early because I let a few of my homies hear it before it was released and it changed their lives for the better. Some even broke down because of how transparent the music was to them, so in my mind I already succeeded with this album; just need to get it to the masses.
Being from Detroit and now based in Atlanta, how would you compare/contrast the music scenes for emerging artists?
Well when I was still living in Detroit which was around the beginning of 2015, the music scene wasn't popping out there like it is now. Detroit now is definitely on the map as far as Hip hop.
Atlanta has become the mecca for the music scene but from what I hear and see, Detroit ain’t too far behind and in my opinion, we never was, we just never got the acknowledgement from the industry or the masses. We finally catching our break because in my opinion we got top of the line talent in Detroit, so I would say Atlanta is not much different in the music scene. But Atlanta has more resources and opportunities. I call it Black Hollywood.
When you are developing new music, what do you look for in the beats that you choose to write to?
It's not what I look for, it's what moves me. Back then I used to be able to rap about anything and I would look for certain beats to match what I wanted to rap about but now I do things totally different. I don't rap unless I'm motivated or at least went out and lived life so I have something authentic to talk about.
And as far as beats, the instruments would have to move me. I feel like soul beats are an inspiration to me but in all honesty it really doesn’t matter what kind of beat it is. As long as it's speaking to me I can write a record to it. Everything i put out from here on out has to have substance and meaning, if not then I can’t and won’t write the record.
With "Beauty In The Struggle" now released, what are some of your goals musically for this upcoming spring/summer?
My goal for my first debut album is to slowly push it to the masses. I don't have a time limit for that, I just want the world to gravitate to it when it's time. Of course I'm doing a lot of promotion and marketing for it but as of right now we are shooting videos to like half of the track list, so this upcoming summer you will see more visuals from me as I'm writing my next album also.
There's an idea of a book that I just started writing as well that stems from the album, so I'm in the works with that and in hopes that it can be released this summer as well.
Stream and Share “Beauty In The Struggle”
Connect with Detroit YB: Website | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
Review: "Endangerment" Album by T.E.E
With “Endangerment”, rather than braggadocio or descriptions of drip that have been overwhelming rap, Goldsboro, NC based artist @THAONLYTEE is here to bring us a more relatable album for the everyman, while still pushing us to do better.
Rather than braggadocio or descriptions of drip that have been overwhelming rap, Goldsboro, North Carolina based artist T.E.E is here to bring us a more relatable album for the everyman, while still pushing us to do better. A lot of us have found ourselves in a pandemic-related slump, and this motivational, ambition-peddling work entitled “Endangerment”, is exactly what we need to hear.
The first track “Get It” is a cold and ruthless reminder to get back on that hustle. The beat is delightfully minimal but hard-hitting, reminiscent of a drill beat. This rapper’s unique delivery and vocal timbre piqued our interest. Whether this is a reminder for you to get up and get to it or the soundtrack to your workout, this track is versatile and has a timeless feel.
T.E.E references his inspirations as Meek Mill and Rick Ross, and while that’s immediately evident from his songs, it doesn’t feel overly derivative. His tracks are aspirational, also dedicated to his thoughts and surroundings. There’s a sense of self-awareness that intrigues us.
“Worth” is another standout that starts with a brightly tinkling piano. “Worth” showcases T.E.E’s lyrical talents, as he reminds his competition that his lyrical lessons don’t come for free: “Show ‘em how to do verses well, but I have to tax ‘em.” Still, he’s not above sharing his mental health struggles, which we’ve all inevitably dealt with recently, “My depression got me stressin’, existential drip.”
“Self Made” ups the tempo and pushes the competition to the side with the help of artists GenWorld and Jhony Allen West the Sketch. With energy, the chorus delivers: “Get out my face/get out my way/get off my case/or run this fade/y’all n*ggas made that I’m self made.” Targeting sellouts and those who climb the networking ladder, T.E.E is clearly focused on his own journey, and getting there on his own terms.
“Music Junkies” on the other hand is an homage to the artist’s authentic and genuine passion for music over clout. T.E.E also produces beats along with his raps, and for him, music always comes first. With “I’m a music junkie/I don’t f*ck with y’all/with the tools on me/I be dropping these bombs,” he flexes his production and the behind-the-scene process that many rappers aren’t a part of.
T.E.E is about the anatomy of a song, not just getting the glory for delivering it.
“We’ll Be Right Back” featuring 2FLY KING departs from the Meek-style delivery and slows it down to a lazy, old school (and beautifully mixed) beat, giving us a chance to catch up with this fiery artist. This fluid track goes down like honey and is definitely a DCWS favorite.
Authenticity is something the industry has been lacking for a while, and it’s soul-fulfilling to see that independent rappers like T.E.E are still pushing the envelope, and hungry for their next chapter.
Stream and Share “Endangerment” on: Bandcamp | Spotify
Interview: Boston Based Rap Duo Weapon Talk About Their New EP "Winterlude"
We connected with Fantasy and DFizz45 of the rap duo Weapon for an exclusive Q&A to discuss their newly released EP “Winterlude”, the rap music scene in Boston, and much more.
“2020 went from the start of a new year full of promise and quickly turned into a loveless and lonely feeling year. Our personal life mixed in with the vibe of the year itself created the atmosphere for the “Winterlude”. ”
Congratulations on the completion and release of your incredible EP "Winterlude"; describe your creative process for the EP's five songs and who provided the production.
Thank you for that; we really appreciate the love, but to answer your question, the creative process was a sort of complex one. It was two fold, for one, we started the creation of the EP around the start of 2020. During this period, both Fantasy and Dfizz were going through a break up from two women they were serious with, so if you notice, the EP starts with a happy song called “Fire” and it gradually gets darker and darker and the energy drops as the EP continues.
The year 2020 really influenced the EP as well. 2020 went from the start of a new year full of promise and quickly turned into a loveless and lonely feeling year. Our personal life mixed in with the vibe of the year itself created the atmosphere for the “Winterlude”.
We got all our beats from YouTube believe it or not and we had our production and mixing done at CyberSound studio in Boston.
How did you two initially connect as a duo and what does the name "Weapon" represent?
We initially meet as hoopers in the city. We played basketball often and we also played a lot of 2K growing up but as we aged and our friendship evolved we learned each other’s love for music and realize we were both as passionate about music as the other so we decided to make it.
The idea of Weapon is pretty abstract. We are weapons, our music is a weapon, our minds are weapons; simply put, it’s an abstract way for us to basically describe we want to be legendary.
Can we expect music videos for any of the five tracks on the EP? If so, which one(s) should we be on the lookout for?
Yes, yes you can. We actually have a music video scheduled to premiere on Valentine’s Day. We should be producing videos for the songs “Fire” and “2Hr Drive” real soon, so stay tuned!
How would you describe the rap music scene in Boston in 2021? If you could change anything about the environment for artists there, what would it be?
We will say in all honesty it’s not our sound as most artist in the city seem to sound like other regions but even more so it’s very divided and isolated, so what we would like to affect in the city is unity. There’s some talent in the city but it’s a small market so naturally people are fighting for real estate rather than helping each other up. So we are gunna blow up and change the city.
With the EP now released, what are some of your goals musically for the remainder of 2021?
Our goal is to grow our audience globally and show people who we are. We are very serious with our art and would love to share it with everyone we can.
We are also preparing new music to drop in the summer so stay tuned for that!
London Punk Rock Band Drones Release Their New Album "Our Hell Is Right Here"
With a strong emphasis on personal growth, the London based punk rock band @Dronesuk have released their new album “Our Hell Is Right Here”.
Since their inception, Drones have been building a name for themselves with their powerfully energetic live shows and unique punk-fueled post-hardcore stylings. Their highly-conceptual debut album ‘Exiled’ was released in 2018 and packed a punch.
With a strong emphasis on personal growth, Drones’ new album ‘Our Hell Is Right Here’, is out now via Thousand Islands Records (North America) Lockjaw Records (UK).
Crammed with high-octane, yet deeply personal, punk cuts, the album also documents a traumatic period for McDougall. “It’s been a pretty rough ride for the past couple of years,” she says when looking back on the journey the band have been on to get to this point. “But I struggle with claiming my problems and sadness as valid because they are disproportionate to the danger and loss that many face every day. It got to the point where I was almost ashamed to write songs about my own life. However, I’m learning that personal care and self-worth is not something to be diminished. There are songs on this album that I had to write for my own therapy. Whilst writing this record, I went through a divorce, lost a family member and was battling with my own mental health. At the same time, it felt like the world was falling apart. ‘Our Hell Is Right Here’ is the product of my experiences over the past few months. There’s a lot of sadness on this record, but I can now look back and celebrate who I have become in spite of it all.”
Listen to ‘Our Hell Is Right Here’ now, stream it on your preferred music service and connect with Drones on their social media.
Interview: T.E.E Discusses His Brand New Album "Endangerment"
Major shout to Goldsboro’s own @THAONLYTEE who connected with DCWS for an exclusive interview to talk about his very DOPE, brand new album “Endangerment”, and much more.
“I’m mowing through the game and the competition like Juggernaut. It’s also what the letters in my name stand for. T for Tenacious and E for Endangerment the last E stands for Everything. I’m a Tenacious Endangerment to Everything.”
Congratulations on the completion and release of your new album "Endangerment"; it's very dope. Tell us about your creative process for the development of the album's ten songs and how you decided which artists would appear on what song.
Thank you! I really appreciate that. The process was a bit of a long one to be honest. I wanted to take a different approach with “Endangerment “and took my time making it.
I wanted to improve my sound and would learn new mixing and mastering techniques and that would often have me go back and make a few tweaks. A lot of life happened between “Tenacious” and “Endangerment” so It's more personal this time around.
As far as the artists I have featured, I was listening to their songs/projects and wanted to make something dope and some of them I've worked with before.
How did you go about picking the beats that are featured on the album? Also, which songs did you produce?
Whenever I work on a song I write to a beat and the beat has to speak to me. When the beat plays I hum a melody to see if I can come up with a hook and if I really like it I will write the verses even when I'm using one of my own beats.
The songs I produced on the album are “Get It”, “Worth”, “Self Made” and “Real Talk Pt.3”.
Would you say that there's an overall theme or concept to the album? If so, describe it for us?
Absolutely. I would say the theme is rappers are in danger. “Tenacious” was about being an unyielding and unstoppable force while “Endangerment” is letting people know that that force is coming towards you and there's nothing you can do about it.
I'm mowing through the game and the competition like Juggernaut. It's also what the letters in my name stand for. T for Tenacious and E for Endangerment the last E stands for Everything. I'm a Tenacious Endangerment to Everything.
Were there songs that you recorded that did not make it on the final track list? If so, why did they not?
Oh yes for sure. Some songs weren't finished, some songs I was unable to get the feature that I wanted to for them And there were some mad just didn't fit the vibe of the album.
“God Complex” almost didn't make it on there either but it turns out to be some people's favorite song. I personally wasn't expecting that.
With the album now released, what's next for you musically?
To get more involved in the music scene. Doing shows, making more music and networking with more people as well as more music videos. I've been looking into getting merch set up as well so it's going to be a busy year for me. I'm really looking forward to it.
Stream and Share “Endangerment” on: Bandcamp | Spotify
Connect with T.E.E: Website | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
Review: "Into The Multiverse (The Subsequel Mixes)" Album by Ultra_eko
The “Into The Multiverse (The Subsequel Mixes)” album proves South London rapper Ultra_eko to be an exceptional explorer of sound sculpting, with stories that linger in the mind. Check out our review of this album now.
Ultra_eko goes into a wonderful, woozy approach on the lush arrangements of “Into The Multiverse (The Subsequel Mixes)”. Within this singular album of Subsequel remixes, Ultra_eko takes a different tact, for the stylistic variation results in some wonderful left field experiments.
Hip-hop still remains the main attraction, but Ultra_eko’s usage of downtempo, jazz, trap, tech house, and more offers a rather creative take on the originals. His vocals still rest prominently in the center of each track yet the way that the pieces unfurl has a lot more unexpected elements about it, for the fantastic twists and turns add to the emotional resonance of the collection.
There is a multi-hybrid quality to the pieces, at times touching upon the polyphonic glee of Underworld’s early output. Akin to their early stuff, Ultra_eko is not afraid to lean into some rather unusual takes with hip-hop’s roots, resulting in moments that are true bliss to observe. Beyond this, Ultra_eko also fits in with a wide array of his contemporaries who refuse to make something simple, as they fuse up elements of jazz, funk, and rap in ways perhaps best observed on labels like Stones Throw and Brainfeeder Records.
Clever glitch aesthetics rest at the very heart of “The Second Chapter” where Subsequel has fun messing with the groove in elastic, ecstatic ways. Tempos are stretched into a low-slung roll with “Keep Busy”. Pieces of dance rock filter into the fray on the swagger of “Cash Money Moolah”. Elements of Neon Indian’s fondness for 80s synth pop comes to the forefront on the lush chords of “Pingu”.
Giddy energy bursts forth on the sly funk of “Girl From Round The Way”, as the song gets sped up in a joyful way. Dub effects add to the heavy cadence of “Yellow” while the song has a kaleidoscopic spirit where the focus keeps changing up. Pure togetherness races forward on the celebratory “Where You At?”. Ending things on a classy, classic hit is the drum n’bass hyperactivity of “Ashes To Ashes”.
The “Into The Multiverse (The Subsequel Mixes)” album proves Ultra_eko to be an exceptional explorer of sound sculpting, with stories that linger in the mind.
Stream and Share “Into The Multiverse (The Subsequel Mixes)”
Get to Know Eclectic Irish Rapper Denise Chaila
With players like Princess Nokia, Chika, and other rappers carving out new niches of identity in rap, other rap queens are finding their voice and reveling in their differences, rather than trying to squeeze themselves into that box. @denisechaila is leading that charge in Ireland.
A lot of people complain that female rap is manufactured to fit the male gaze. It’s true: mainstream success of many women in hip hop is based off how well they dance and their general appearance over subversive content and uniqueness. But with players like Princess Nokia, Chika, and other rappers carving out new niches of identity in rap, other rap queens are finding their voice and reveling in their differences, rather than trying to squeeze themselves into that box.
Denise Chaila is leading that charge in Ireland, and she’s hard to pinpoint even when giving a description. A quote from her interview with The FADER sums it up: “I'm always looking for the common denominator between Tolkien, Tupac and mo teaghlach - my home.” This Irish talent blends fantasy, gangster rap, and Irish culture in her tracks, making for a rich tapestry to write her songs on.
Denise recently released her 2020 album “Go Bravely” which is what put her on our radar. In her single “Anseo” she images herself as the “Black James Bond” with an Azealia Banks or Flo Milli style lilt and a melodic instrumental backbeat that even draws in classical music. Chaila’s other tracks feature minimalist but exotic sounding production as indicated in her title track “Go Bravely”. Her beats sometimes feel like ASMR in process- weird, unusual, and satisfying sounds bubble together with her addictive accent.
Her wild inspirations aren’t just a ploy for attention - they genuinely represent who she is, even though the combination stands out on paper. Along with dexterous lyrics and undeniable charisma, she finds a way to weave in themes of culture, racism, gender, and finding your place when you don’t fit into one easily. From panic attacks and depression, to frustration with misogyny in rap, Chaila raps about things that are both pressing and relatable to audiences.
In “Move” she tells us against a jazzy background, “I've been feeling different…/Need the serotonin quicker.” This debut album kind of feels like a coming of age process for Denise, a leader of new traditions reaching new heights. She puts it best herself on the track “Down”, where she “dances on the grave of dead traditions.”
For young Irish Black girls, Denise Chaila is a necessary role model for an underrepresented group. She admitted in an interview with The Independent that this lack of representation affected her self-esteem growing up, as well as pre-conceived notions of what she could achieve: “I think that the truth is, being a woman, and being Black, in a country where I didn't always see reflections of myself, impacted a lot on my confidence, and my expectations of what success meant.”
In 2021, it’s safe to say that Denise has gone a long way in finding herself. She's called confidence a “political statement” and in a world where artists are taught to seek validation, we think that’s pretty powerful. She’s bringing light and levity to a time when things are dark - a reminder that second chances are possible.
Boston Rap Duo Weapon Drop Their DOPE New EP "Winterlude"
Boston rap duo Weapon (Fantasy and DFizz45) recently dropped their five track EP entitled “Winterlude”. Check out their DOPE project now!
We would like to introduce you to Weapon, a Boston based rap duo comprised of Fantasy and DFizz45, who recently dropped their five track EP entitled “Winterlude”.
Speaking about their music and their artistic goals, Fantasy and DFizz45 state “We together as the rap duo Weapon, try to make soundtracks to real everyday lives, formulating bars while still giving melodies and vibes to enjoy. We want to create art that shapes the world. We want to go down as one of the greats in this rap game it has given so much to us, so it's time for us to give back”.
After listening to the “Winterlude” EP, we’d have to say Mission Accomplished" as this project will surely put them on the map for a lot of rap fans (at least those who appreciate DOPE shit). We won’t give too much away because our review is coming soon, but we guarantee that you won’t be disappointed once you click play.
Before you do that, here’s some more thematic information about the EP provided by Weapon -
This EP Tells a story of Light and Dark ; Love and Despair
The Music introduces you to….
Protagonist, a young male maneuvering through the cold world with an unwavering ego until he meets what he believes is the woman of his dreams. It was Love at first sight for them both as they locked eyes, burning desire for one another like fire, there souls intertwined and it felt divine. Sexual healing was what they were for each other, but things take a turn for the worse… rainy days and cold nights lead to a fractured connection, but who was to blame? Was this Love? As things hit rock bottom and the dark energy increased, the story can’t end without hearing from the girl of his dreams one last time. There was… No Love. In fact, it was Love without Love.
Listen to “Winterlude” right now, stream it on your preferred music service, connect with Fantasy and DFizz45 on their website and IG, and hang close to DCWS because our in-depth review of the EP and our interview with them is coming very soon.
Stream "Endangerment", the New Album by Goldsboro, NC Rap Artist/Producer T.E.E.
Goldsboro, NC based rap artist, producer and audio engineer @THAONLYTEE has released his new album entitled "Endangerment". Listen to it now!
T.E.E. (Tenacious Endangerment to Everything) is a Goldsboro, NC based rap artist, producer and audio engineer whose music addresses topics mainly influenced by his thoughts and surroundings, and reflects his diversity in thought. With his skills in music, production and engineering as well as his knowledge in marketing/promotion, T.E.E has proven himself to be a man that wears many hats, in not just music, but the music business.
T.E.E. recently released his album entitled “Endangerment”, which is a follow-up to his project, “Tenacious”, that he dropped in 2018. “Endangerment” is comprised of ten tracks and features artists GenWorld, Jhony Allen West, Matrixx, T-Quail, & 2FLY KNG. Production on the album is provided by Teelonias Monk, Curtiss King, Epik The Dawn, DanMilesDidItRight, Jvst X & Raisi K.
We’re excited to share this DOPE new album with you now and will be dropping our in-depth review and interview with T.E.E. very soon. In the meantime, enjoy the “Endanderment” album below, stream it on Bandcamp and connect with T.E.E. on his website and social media.
Stream and Share “Endangerment” on Bandcamp
Connect with T.E.E: Website | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
Why DaniLeigh's "Yellowbone" is Controversial, and More on Colorism in Music
Recently, Dominican-American singer DaniLeigh released a snippet of her song “Yellowbone”, which celebrated light skinned women. The sentiment wasn’t just about a sexual preference - it’s a dangerous and racist colorist anthem that needs to stop being perpetuated in 2021.
Recently, Dominican-American singer DaniLeigh released a snippet of her song “Yellowbone” which celebrated light skinned women. A prominent lyrics in the song goes: “Yellow bone that’s what he wants” discussing her man’s preference for light-skinned women.
The song itself wasn’t very good, especially compared to the artist’s usually very catchy tracks. And underneath, the sentiment wasn’t just about a sexual preference - it’s a dangerous and racist colorist anthem that needs to stop being perpetuated in 2021.
The oblivious way that Dani dealt with the fallout made it even worse. She cried out on social media, “Why I can't make a song for my light skin baddies?? Why y'all think I'm hating on other colors when there are millions of songs speaking on all types... Why y'all so sensitive & take it personal... Gahhhh damn,” That smells like an All Lives Matter style argument to us, Dani. Not cool.
While the singer thought she felt every right to come out with this song since "I’m Dominican... I’m Spanish, I’m black I’m white,” her Blackness or lack thereof has nothing to do with why the song is so problematic. Rather, the promoting of this terminology is what’s damaging, especially since so many people look up to her as a role model and musical icon. Additionally, DaniLeigh has never discussed how she identifies as Black or Afro-Latinx, so this feels like a shoddy excuse.
While she felt like she needed to make an anthem for girls that look like her, it’s not exactly like the space is lacking. We already have white supremacy to celebrate light skinned individuals over those with dark skin. The word yellowbone itself has been used to favor and compliment light skinned Black people since the 19th century. Colorism has been pitting Black people against each other since this time, and has ingrained a deep feeling of self-hatred in the dark-skinned community, as well as a sense of alienation.
The word yellowbone is a way to quantify beauty in relation to whiteness. It’s another way of perpetuating narrow, European beauty standards that are derived from slavery and colonialism.
So while she might think it’s an anthem to uplift her community, it’s actually a song that stomps down on an already downtrodden and disenfranchised one. While we’ve come to expect ignorant white dudes using these terms, it’s unfortunate that a prioritizing of light skinned women is seen not just in Danileigh’s track, but by rappers as well.
Anti-Blackness is not poetic. It’s ignorant. We want more Kendricks. We want more “Brown Skin Girl” tracks and take downs of colorism. We want awareness raised on colorism, a threatening but often under discussed aspect of racism that prevents true solidarity.
DaniLeigh is probably out there scratching her head, wondering why her male competition isn’t being held to the same standard. But as a woman in the industry, she should have been aware of that uneven playing field off the bat, and how a song like this helps feed into the system. Instead, she should have used her platform to be a little more politically conscious, and a little less tone-deaf. Hopefully, other light-skinned artists on the scene will use their privilege to end colorism’s legacy, rather than perpetuating it in an already problematic industry.
Review: "Crazy Child" Album by Jordan Ziskin
An emotionally raw piece of work, Brooklyn based Jordan Ziskin is a deft singer-songwriter on the captivating “Crazy Child” album. Check out our in-depth review of Jordan’s soon to be released album now.
An emotionally raw piece of work, Brooklyn based Jordan Ziskin is a deft singer-songwriter on the captivating “Crazy Child” album. Proving to be an exceptional storyteller, these narratives unfurl with a true undeniable sense of life.
The usage of rock, folk, and chamber pop within the sound further lends it a fully-fleshed out quality. Jordan lets these tracks build, grow, and burst forth in tremendous blooms of color. Melodically rich, it is easy to get lost in the multi-layered, multi-faceted approach. Volume is a must, for the way it washes over the listener has a patient cadence to it. Such a wide range of instruments adds to the beauty of the album tying it together into a cohesive whole.
The way Jordan lets the sound get drenched in sun gives it a golden, AM pop playfulness to it. With a classic cadence to it, it recalls a bit of the Fleet Foxes’ clever, creative arrangements. A honeyed spirit defines the work as there is an optimism to the whole of the album, and the way the tracks interact adds to the compelling calming effect. In this way, the way he captures these small moments recalls the love of one’s surroundings that the Kinks did so perfectly.
“Don’t Let Me Down” sets the tone for what follows, as a big-hearted ethos enters into the fray featuring some fantastic guitar work. Giddy energy drives the tender touch of “Mexico”. By far the highlight of the album comes from the passionate performance of “Three Dimensions”. Aptly named, how Jordan lets the track evolve feels masterful.
Stripped to the essentials is the spirited yearning of “Think Of Me”. The fluttering piano work of “I’ll Be Waiting” gives the song an urbane sophisticated. Sly guitar work weaves itself into the fantastic, easy-going grooves of “Broadway”. Gentle delicate gestures grace the fragile “Crazy Child” with an intimacy that has a compelling cadence to it. A reflective presence takes shape on the thought-provoking bliss of “Sunsets” that closes out the album.
The “Crazy Child” album shows off the incredible skill of Jordan Ziskin in crafting a world that feels so warm, welcoming, and reassuring.
South London Rapper Ultra_eko Releases His New Album "Into the Multiverse (The Subsequel Mixes)"
@Ultra_eko is back with the brand new project “Into the Multiverse (The Subsequel Mixes)”. Check out this DOPE album now!
The recent partial rebuilt of the AI, ‘Subsequel’, previously thought destroyed decades ago at the ‘Croydon Space Centre’ , has led to a rekindling of the long standing friendship between himself and Ultra_eko. The result is ‘Into the Multiverse’, a twelve track remix album. Ten of the tracks feature on the recent ‘Alternate Realities’ album, the remaining two being Ultra_eko favourites ‘Broken Glass’ and ‘Yellow’.
Introducing Subsequel - a brief history
There is little dispute amongst space flight historians as to the importance of Subsequel to the doomed ‘Croydon Space Exploration’ project. The roles of both he and Ultra_eko complimented each other perfectly. Eko was the face and the brand, the charismatic spokesperson and emissary, who would carry forth the spirit of the human race, one of peaceful commerce, to the furthest reaches of the Galaxy. None of this would have been possible however, without Subsequel,the technological anomaly who made the entire operation feasible; the engine room and the ‘water carrier’, capable of accessing and manipulating the quantum realm so as to make travel across such vast distances a reality. Subsequel was a feat of technology and AI so far in advance of its time, of any time, that he stood out immediately as something quite alien. His origins have captivated with their mystery and elusiveness in the decades following the projects’ collapse.
There are theories too numerous to list here as to where Subsequel originated; without new information it is doubtful this will ever be know. Many consider him the brainchild of Einstein and Tesla; a piece of AI that operated within the quantum and spiritual realms, and whose exact workings was only ever known to those two men. Others suggest that type of technology could only ever have arrived via either extraterrestrial intervention, or technology salvaged from a crash site. Other still suggest Subsequel was a time traveller from the future, travelling back to the past so as to direct the human race along a certain desired path. More outlandish theories include the idea that he is a manifestation of the second coming, prophet and son of God made in stainless steel. Or that he was the creation and invention of Nazi scientists gathered from South American at the end of WW2 - many of whom would work on the Manhattan project.
Whatever the truth of his origins are; what we do know was that his destruction was the result of a bombing campaign orchestrated by rival borough Lewisham, who were attempting their own space project. Subsequel was unfortunately caught in one of these blasts, which ultimately destroyed perhaps the greatest artefact ever known upon this planet, all for the sake of some regional pride.
It seems however that some components of Subsequel’s processing units were salvaged from the wreckage by none other than Ultra_eko himself. Over the past year he has managed to piece something of the original Subsequel back together, and though he has managed to capture elements and flavours of his personality, he operates at a vastly reduced capacity. Running off the electrical output in the home loft of Ultra_eko, Subsequel no longer able to twist and manipulate time and space, has taken up the curious hobby of remixing musical beats and rhymes. The Pingu remix, and the other 11 remixed tracks, which will form an upcoming Ultra_eko album, are all the work of Subsequel remixes. In some ways tragic, it also remains an endearing testament to the lifelong friendship and bond between Ultra_eko and Subsequel; that they continue to work together, decades after the collapse of the infamous ‘Croydon Space Exploration’ project, albeit at a vastly reduced scale.
